Manhattan Tuesday joined Wichita and a selection of other communities in passing an ordinance requiring residents wear face coverings in public spaces. City commissioners voted 3 to 2 to mandate wearing masks that cover the mouth and nose when in publicly accessible spaces indoors or outdoors where physical distancing of 6 feet is not possible. The ordinances comes amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in Riley County beginning in mid-June. Health officials say the county had hovered around an average percent positive rate among tested individuals below the state average around 5 to 6 percent until recent weeks. The rate…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is reporting 717 more confirmed coronavirus cases since Monday, an increase that brings the total to at least 17,618 cases. The department on Wednesday also reported 282 COVID-19 deaths, up two since Monday. Health and environment Secretary Lee Norman announced on Tuesday that Kansas is among the top 14 states in the country for the most rapid spread of the coronavirus, and in the top 14 states for having the least restrictions on activities. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people who have the…
WICHITA, Kan. — A Wichita police officer who fatally shot an innocent man in 2017 while responding to a hoax emergency call stemming from a dispute between two online gamers is appealing a ruling allowing a lawsuit filed against him to move forward. The Wichita Eagle reports that attorneys for Justin Rapp filed a notice of appeal Monday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, asking it to review a lower court order that refused to grant him protection from civil liability in Andrew Finch’s death.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued an executive order on Tuesday requiring the state to track foster children’s progress in school, shortly after having vetoed a similar bill last month. According to the The Kansas City Star, the annual report card will detail the academic progress and classroom struggles of children in its care, Kelly’s order says the state will take responsibility to make every effort to ensure students in foster care receive a quality education. Secretary for DCF Laura Howard said her agency is already working with the Department of Education to begin gathering data.
TOPEKA, Kan. — A white man has been charged with stabbing a Black man at a Kansas fireworks stand in an attack that the prosecutor said may have been racially motivated. Austin Bryce Langley, 40, was charged Tuesday with one count each of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and the criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon in the July 2 attack in Topeka. He has past convictions for aggravated battery. Public defender Cindy Sewell didn’t immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said in a news release that he…
WICHITA, Kan. — Police say a 41-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with murder and other counts in the June shooting death of a man. Television state KAKE reports that Amber Ahrens was booked into the Sedgwich County Jail on Tuesday. She’s charged with second-degree intentional murder, criminal possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute opiates. Police were called to a disturbance with shots fired at a northeastern Wichita home on June 17 and found 53-year-old David Leddy in front of a home with a gunshot wound. He died at the scene. Police said Ahrens is…
Wednesday’s program featured Pottawatomie County Schools with guests Tim Winter, Superintendent of USD 320 Wamego Schools and Kevin Logan, Superintendent of USD 323 Rock Creek Schools. City of Riley Mayor Tim Sharp also joined the program to give us an update on the latest going on in his community.
CARES Act funding Pottawatomie County has until mid-August to submit a plan for how it will spend about $4.9 million in CARES Act funding it is set to receive. With such a short timeline, County Commissioner Pat Weixelman says there will be more room for error and misuse of funds. County Administrator Chad Kinsley says the state government may have created the situation on purpose. Despite these concerns, the county commission approved a resolution to accept the CARES Act funds during their meeting Monday. Kinsley says the county should allocate a portion of the money to each city based on…
The Riley County Health Department has released its latest local health order, which takes effect Wednesday.. Local Health Order 14 will be in affect for the next 12 days, or until amended, superseded, or rescinded. The new order keeps the mass gathering limit to 50 people and large venues of more than two thousand people capacity remain closed. Restrictions for businesses and restaurants include more employee screening practices. All bars and restaurants must screen each employee before the start of their shift. This includes asking about symptoms, travel, contact, and taking temperatures. These screenings must be recorded. All other businesses…